$10,000 raised to help Richland girl hit by pickup truck near school bus
An 11-year-old Richland girl was doing better Monday after getting hit by a truck while she was crossing the street Friday.
Trinity Enriquez was heading home after getting off her school bus near Spengler Street and Hood Avenue just after 1:45 p.m., her aunt Zayna Kinsey told the Herald.
Witnesses said the bus had stopped and its lights were activated while dropping students off, and vehicles in both lanes were stopped.
It had just retracted its stop sign and started moving again when Trinity tried crossing the road behind the bus, Richland police said.
A truck in the opposite lane hit her, Richland police Capt. Brigit Clary said in a Monday news release.
There was no indication that the truck driver was impaired at the time, said police. While the investigation is ongoing, there is no indication that the driver violated any laws, said Sgt. Damon Jansen.
The bus driver wasn’t aware the girl had been hit and continued on her route, Richland police said.
There are no marked crosswalks in the area, and the student should have crossed in front of the bus while it was stopped, Jansen said.
Richland officials urged drivers to be careful especially around school buses and bus stops, and encouraged parents to talk with their children about bus safety and crossing streets.
“Our hearts go out to the child’s parents, as do our wishes for a speedy recovery,” according to the release.
Trinity was rushed to a Spokane hospital with a serious head injury, according to a GoFundMe that Kinsey organized.
As of Monday, Kinsey said Trinity was doing better.
“She is stable and the doctors are hopeful for little to no brain damage,” Kinsey told the Herald. “She is currently still intubated and getting stronger.”
The Chief Joseph Middle School student is one of six children in her family, and loves hanging out with her friends and family, Kinsey said. The girl loves to bake and hopes to open a bakery when she gets older.
For now she has a long road to recovery. Doctors expect her to be admitted into the hospital for a while, according to the GoFundMe page. Her mother just started a new job, and now needs to put it on hold while she takes care of her.
So far the community has stepped in and raised more than $10,000 through the GoFundMe campaign. People can donate at bit.ly/RichlandPedestrian.
“The proceeds will go directly to her family and any care that Trinity will need,” according to the fundraiser. “We appreciate all the love and support that the family is receiving and please keep Trinity in your prayers.”
This story was originally published October 25, 2021 at 12:55 PM.